Escape device for submarine boats.



J. SGHNI TTER. ESCAPE DEVICE FOR SUBMARINB BOATS APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1910 I 1,007,145,, Patented 0013.31, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'aW mmu,

J. SGHNITTER. ESCAPE DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1910.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

38HEBTSSHEBT 2.

J. SOHNITTER, ESCAPE DEVICE FOR SUBMARINB BOATS.

Lemma APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1910.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

SSHBETS-SHEET 3.

JOHN scnmrrnn, v or. Bnmmonn, MARYLA D.

ESCAPE DEVICE FOR SUBMABINE BOATS.

woman Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, MM

Application filed September 6, 1910. Serial No. 580,668.

T 0 all who're it may concern:

Be it known that '1, JOHN Son'nrrrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in'Escape Devices for Submarine Boats, of

attempts have been made to provide such a device, none of which have been: absolutely successful so far as I am able to ascertain.-

The object of the present invention, broadly stated, is to provide a practicable escape device for submarine boats under the circumstances enumerated, which will be operative at all times, and so simple in construction and operation as to renderit less objection able and less likely to get outof order than any of the devices heretofore known.

The primary object of the invention. may be stated to be to provide an escape device of the character specified wherein. is pro vided a hydraulic pressure in excess of that of the water in which the boat'is submerged,

means being provided to create this pressure and to utilize it in effecting the prompt release of the occupants from the boat.

A more specific objectof the invention is to provide a device of this character for submarine boats with an elevator operating in the entrance and exit way to forcibly eject persons from the disabled submerged boat.

. A further object of the invention is to provide an escape device of this character which will be hydraulically operated to ovcrcon'ie the enormous pressure of the water found at greatdepths which frequently locks the occupants in the boat and thereby effectual-1y prevents their release.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an-escape device for submarine boats hydraulic means controlling the entrance and exit gate of the escape and for lifting an occupant through the latter.

, llhth this and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the improved construc tions, arrangementsand combinations of dev1ces hereinafter fully described and afters Ward specifically clanned.

sincethey were first introduced and many Inorder that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may be able to construct and use the same, I will now proceed to fully describe the construction and operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-' Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view through a section of a submarine boat in which my invention is installed. Fig. 2 represents a partial front elevationof the elevator tube and escape tower showing the door closed. Fig. 3 represents a horizontal sectional view, the plane indicated by the broken line 3- 3 of Fig. '2. Fig. 4 represents a vertical sectional view on a plane passing through the door opening of the escape tower; Fig. 5 represents aside eleva v tion of the same door and its operating piston. Fig. 6 represents a detail sectional --view of the mechanism for operating the valves for the passage of the actuatihgfiuid. Fig. 7 represents a horizontal sectional view of. these valves. Fig. 8 represents a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the broken line 88 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 represents a-vertical sectional view on the plane indicated. by the broken line 99, of Fig. 7.

-L ike reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures of the drawirws. I

lieferring specifically to the drawings, 1 indicates portions of theshell of a submarine boat of any preferred construction which boat is provided with an entrance way formed of steel tubes of different diameters one within the other and forming an escape tower 2. The upper end of this tower or tube is cutoff at an inclination, said upper end extending through the shell and above the top of the boat and the lower end depending inwardly from the top to a suitable rest or foundation 9 the hull of the boat about midway between the top and bottom thereof. although this position of the lower end of the tube may be varied to suit circumstances. Within this tube 2' is installed an elevator which comprises a plat; form 3 mounted on the upper end of a piston rod 4, said rod carrying at its upper enda piston 5 moving in the tube 2, the rod 4: operating through a. gland 6 arranged horizontally within the tube at the lower end of the portion thereof which forms the escape tower. The pistonrod after passing through the gland 6 extends downward and carries at its lower end a second piston 7 which is reciprocable in a tube or cylinder 8 .arranged within the lower portion of the tower or tube 2, between the gland 6 and the base 9 of said tower or tube, the latter being horizontally secured by any suitable means in the shell of the boat.

The upper end of the wall of the tube 2 is provided with an annular groove, 10 adapted to receive an annular shoulder 11 on the under face of a closure gate 12, hinged at 13 to the tube 2'and resting, when closed, in an inclined position on the inclined upper end of the tube. This gate12 is connected by means of a suitable cable 14, to a piston rod 15, the outer end of which is cut away at an inclination to fit snugly upon the upper face of the gate, the piston rod projectin through the end wall of a horizontal cy inder 16 mounted upon, the shell 1 and being provided at its inner end with a piston head 17 which is adapted to reciprocate in said cylinder 16. -Any suit- ,able pressure fluid is supplied to-the cylinder 16 by means of a eed pipe. 18 which leads from a valve casing 19 to one end of said cylinder 16, and by a second pipe 2Ov connecting said valve casing 19 with said cylinder 16. A suitable hood or shield 21 secured tothe shell of the boat is arranged to cover the cylinder 16 and protect it against the action of the seawater. The pressure fluid is supplied to the .cylinder 16 by means of a suitable pump 22 which is actuated by belting or otherwise, from an electric or other motor 23, the pump rcceiving its supply of oil, water, glycerin or air from an intake pipe I i which communicates with a suitable reservoir 25 mounted in the bottom of the shell of the boat, or at any other suitable position therein, said pipe 24 connecting the pump with the interior of the reservoir and being provided with a suitable valve 26. Discharge pipe 27 leads from the pump 22 and may e directly connected with ,the valve casing 19 or connectedwith the, pressure tank 29, the upper end of said tank being intended to contain 'air, when a liquid is used in it, the pipe 27 is provided with a suitable valve 30,

The valve casing 19 is connected by a feed pipe 31 with the lower end of the cylinder 8 1n the elevator tube 2 and is also connected with said cylinder 8 by means of another pipe The cylinder 8 is provided with a suitable safety valve and gage 33 and the platform 3. with a suitable railing 34.

The tube or tower 2 has in one side an opening or gate, controlled by a door 28, said door being secured to the lower end of a piston 35, the upper end of which carries a. piston head 36 operated ina cylinder 37 which is formed in the wall of the tube or tower 2, said cylinder being connected by pipes 38- and 39 with the valve casing 19 and being provided with a suitable gage and safety valve 68. Steps 40 lead from thedoor 28 to the fioor of the boat.

At 41 is a pipe which connects the tube or tower 2 with the reservoir tank 25, said pipe being provided with a suitable valve 42. A.

drain pipe 43, connectsthe reservoir 25 with the chambers of the valve casing 19.

The tank or reservoir 29 is provided with a suitable water glass or gage 46 whereby its contents and pressure may be indicated. As before stated, the upper end of the tank 29 which contains the air supply under pressure has an air pipe 47 extending therefrom into, the interior of the shell of the boat,

provided outside of the tank 29 with a-suitable valve 48 whereby air can be supplied to the interior of the boat, suitable branch pipes leading from the air pipe 47 to the hood and other portions of the boat.

Within the hood 21 is provided a box of storage batteries 51 which are connected by feed wires 52 with the motor 23. The pump 22 is normally driven by the engines of the boat and the motor 23 is brought into use only when these engines break down, the strong batteries furnishing current to run the motor. A suitable automatic switch board 53 is mounted on the box 51 and a second switch board, with independent wire connections from the storage batteries to the motor, may be arranged at any suitable posi' tion in the boat for'providing a lower control of batteries at the mgtor 23.

The valves in the valve casing 19 are operated through the medium of valve stems 53 and 54 on the upperpnds of which bevel gears 55 are mounted, which gears engage with gears 56 mounted on a rod 57, said rod carrying a gear meshing with the gear 58 on a vertical rod 59 which extends through the tube 2 and the elevator platform, and

piston head 5 and carrying at its upper end an operating wheel 60 which may be provided with a suitable gage to guide the operator in manipulating the valves in the easing. The rod 57 carries a gear 61 which meshes with a gear 62 mounted on a shaft secured to the endv of the valve casing 19 and is provided with a suitable crank handle 63 whereby it may be manually rotated.

In the event of the boat'becoming disabled or submerged in deep water, in order to enable the crew to escape. the pump 22 is started, and a supply of fluid under high pressure is created. The elevator platform is kept down near the gland 6 and the door 28 is opened by opening the valves which control the pipes 38 and 39when the piston V 36 will be elevated. Prior to the elevation of the piston, the person to be ejected from valve controlling the pipes 31 and 32 are Leonie l operated so that the piston 4 and its head are forced upwardly, in the, cylinder. 8

thereby carrying upward the upper piston and are operated so that plat by the'ele'vator.

with auxiliary ports chinery is complete y scribed-any 'piston head 17 on each cylinder.

head 5 and elevator platform 3. In-the meantime the valves controlling pipe-s 18 the pressure fluid-is admitted to thecylinder 16 andthe is withdrawn into the c'ylin.

escape door 12. The elevator is intended to be operated; under very high speed and the pressure forope'iaring it must be. in excess of the pressure of the water inwhich the boat is submerged. After the escape door is opened dr16, thereby opening the the elevator rises with sufficient speed and ener y to forcibly eject the person onthe orm through the water so that the person will rise to the surface. 7

Suitable life buoys or life preservers are provided for. each memberof the crew to be wornvthen .saidmember is-to'be eject The cylinders 16 and 37 may be provided whereby pressure fluid may. be supplied from 'the outside 'of-the boat and the door 0 eratedwhen the madisabled. Suitable auxiliary drain pipes may be also provided By means of number of persons may-be re-, leased and hydraulically ejected from the boat-- even though the boat is submerged to"; a great de th.'-' Shouldthe motor "23 break down and ecome-useless, the p mp 22 may be operated by means of a Windlass and weight so the resulting pressure may be made to exceed the pressure of the surroundg water. Suitable alarm buoys may be re leasedwhen the escape is operated either at the beginning of the operation or one with each person, or such buoys may be released from time to time to indicate the position of p comprising a tube,

the'boat and the number of persons ejected by the escape. Having described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to-secure by Letters Patent, is-- I j 1. An escape device for submarine boats, comprising a tube, fluid operated admission and exit gates or doors for said tube, fluid operated ejecting means within said tube; and means within said tube for controlling cylinder,-a piston, a piston nected to said gate and themechanism herein def.

closed, fluid operated'means for opening and closing said 'gateisaid means embodying -a 'cylinder,.,a piston, andfa piston rod,-.the"'e'nd of which hasa slidingfconta'ct with the inclined top of'saidjgate, 'anentrance gate for said tube, ejecting means WithinJsaIIdtube, and means for controlling said gates and ejecting means.

4. An escape comprising a tube, a gate for'the upper end device for submarine boats,

of said tube having its top inclined when closed, fluid operated means for opening and closing said gate, said means embodymga which has a sliding contact with the inclined top of said. gate,

and a chain conpiston rod, an entrance gate for said tube, within said tube, and means for controlling said gates apd ejecting means.

5. escape device for submarine boats, comprising a tube, an entrance gate, an exit g said tube, said means embodying a piston carryinga platform, a cylinder, 2. piston in said cylinder, and a piston rod connecting the two pistons, and means within said tube for controlling the operation of said gates and ejecting means. a

6. An escape device for submarine boats, comprising a tube havingan entrance gate, an exit ate, and an ejecting means therein, means or operating said gates and ejecting means, embodymg cylinders and fluid 'actuatedpistons, a fluid. pressure tank, pipes connecting said tank and cylinders, and

means for controlling the fluid to said cylmeans for operating said gates and ejecting said gates or doors and ejecting means.

means, embodyin cylinders and fluid actu- 2. An escape device for submarine boats, comprising a tube, fluid operated admissionand exit gates or doors for said tube, fluid operated ejecting means means within said tube for controlling said gates or doors and ejecting means, and manual control means for said gates and ejecting means outside of said tube.

' 3. An escape device for submarine boats, a gate for the upper end of said tube having its top inclined when ated pistons, a iiuidpressure tank, pipes connecting said tank and. cylinders. and

means foncontrolling the fluid to said cylwithin said tube, l

inders, said means consisting of alves connected to said' pipes intermediate said tank and cylinders, and means extending from said valves-to the inside oi said tube for operating said valves. 9. An-escape device for submarine boats, comprising a tube having an entrance gate,

an exit gate, and an e ecting'means'therem,

ejecting means and a fluid operated ejecting means in.

rod, the end of pressure tank, pipes means for operating said gates and e'ecting comprising'a'tube having an entrance gat fmeans, embodyingeeylinders and fiui actuan exit gate, and an ejecting means therei ated pistons, a fluid pressure tank, pipes; fluid operated means for said gates an 'eonnecti ngsaid tank. and cylinders, and ejec'ting'means, a pressure tank, means 001 '5 means forfeontrolling'thefiuid to saiducyl necting said tank and said fluid operatii indersfsaid means'consisting of valves e'om means, a fluid su p1 tank, and a pump fi nected to said pipes intermediate said tank compressing the ui in said pressure tank. gndgcylinders, means extending from said In testimony'w'her'eof I afiix my sign: I fysfir-the inside (pf said tube for (iipeat ture in-presence-of two witnesses. p 1, "sm va wes', an means mounte a 'a-K I 4 lf-ze e t said valves and connected to said ep er- JOHN sGHNIT-TER ating means "for manually operating said .Witnesses: Ya1ves;- I i 1 a E. WALTO N Bmgg mc'rolv,

10. An'escape device {on submarine boats, BKQQ'ZNIM. Amman 

